Police Protection to Seven Writers

The declaration came following Turkish-Armenian writer Hrant Dink's assassination last Friday.

PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered that official police protection should be secured to such individuals independent of their demand for it.

Police forces were criticized for lack of protection for Mr. Dink, who became a target for nationalists because of his words on the Armenian genocide and the prosecution that came after.

Police protection is assigned to Etyen Mahcupian, the new editor-in-chief of Dink's Agos newspaper; Nobel laureate novelist Orhan Pamuk, who was also targeted for his words on the Armenian genocide claims; daily Hurriyet columnist Ahmet Hakan, novelist Elif Şafak, daily Radikal's editor-in-chief İsmet Berkan, daily Sabah columnist Soli Ozel and Yeni Safak commentator Fehmi Koru.

Despite the attempt, there're many more writers and journalists who're threatened and soen't figure on the list.

Sabri Ejder Ozic, who was convicted of the article 301 of the Penal Code and Necati Abay, who received death threats following his comments on Hrant Dink's assassination are two examples. (EÖ/EÜ)